Page 370 - THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS

The Last of the Mohicans

of the fellow, since he has given up squalling to follow
some better trade.’
‘At least he has been faithful to his trust,’ said Heyward.
‘And Cora and Alice are not without a friend.’

‘Yes,’ said Hawkeye, dropping his rifle, and leaning on
it with an air of visible contempt, ‘he will do their singing.
Can he slay a buck for their dinner; journey by the moss
on the beeches, or cut the throat of a Huron? If not, the
first catbird* he meets is the cleverer of the two. Well,
boy, any signs of such a foundation?’
* The powers of the American mocking-bird are
generally known. But the true mocking-bird is not found
so far north as the state of New York, where it has,
however, two substitutes of inferior excellence, the
catbird, so often named by the scout, and the bird vulgarly
called ground-thresher. Either of these last two birds is
superior to the nightingale or the lark, though, in general,
the American birds are less musical than those of Europe.
‘Here is something like the footstep of one who has
worn a shoe; can it be that of our friend?’
‘Touch the leaves lightly or you’ll disconsart the
formation. That! that is the print of a foot, but ‘tis the
dark-hair’s; and small it is, too, for one of such a noble

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